Peppery Chicken Fried Chicken

Total Time: 42 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 8 (6 ounce) boneless skinned chicken breasts
• 4 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, divided
• 76 saltine crackers, crushed (2 sleeves)
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 8 cups milk, divided
• 4 large eggs
• peanut oil

Recipe

• 1 place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• 2 sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper evenly over chicken. set aside.
• 3 combine cracker crumbs, 2 cups flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ground red pepper.
• 4 whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and eggs. dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
• 5 pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). heat to 360°. fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. remove to a wire rack in a jellyroll pan. keep chicken warm in a 225° oven. carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
• 6 whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 6 1/2 cups milk. pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. serve gravy with chicken.